Botanical Latin Translations

a project of
V. F. Thomas Co. - P. O. Box 84 - Hulls Cove, Maine  04644
info@vfthomas.com

(updated 3 December 2024)





Iris biflora L.

Taxonomic history:
   1753: Linnaeus described this species as Iris biflora in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 38.
   today: The current name for this species is Iris biflora L.


original Latin diagnosis
Iris corollis barbatis, caule foliis breviore multifloro.

English translation
Iris with corollas bearded; with a stem than the leaves shorter [and] many-flowered.



English translation with commentary
Iris Iris
with corollas corollis - ablative plural of first declension feminine noun corolla, -ae
bearded; barbatis - ablative plural feminine of group A adjective barbatus, -a, -um; modifies corollis
[and] [added for smoother reading]
with a stem caule - ablative singular of third declension masculine noun caulis, caulis
than the leaves foliis - ablative plural of second declension neuter noun folium, -i; object of longiore
shorter breviore - ablative singular masculine of comparative degree of group B adjective brevis, -is, -e; agrees with caule
[and] [added for smoother reading]
many-flowered. multifloro - ablative singular masculine of group A adjective multiflorus, -a, -um; modifies caule


For a list of botanical Latin translations, please click here.         To access the Species Plantarum concordance, please click here.